Judaism as Art: A Search for Congruity

Can Jewish spiritual practice be understood as a kind of art? How can the artistic process illuminate Jewish living? To address these questions, we will look at some of the themes that have occupied modern art production and consumption, in particular — the presence or absence of the author; the possibility of creations going out of control; the tension between discipline and creative spontaneity in art production, and the poetics of darkness and light.

It is our hope by showcasing some of the common themes between classical Jewish texts and modern art that we might begin to imagine a new intersection between Judaism and art. No prior experience in art production necessary, though personal experience is welcome.